The Unspoken Prophecy
by UnbrokenSilences
Summary: What if Aphrodite requested a prophecy from the Oracle of Delphi...about the relationship of Annabeth and Percy? Set after The Last Olympian, our favorite-- well, mine at least--returns again as magnets for lots of trouble, love, and Greek mythology!
1. Prologue: In love with a Seaweed Brain

**This is my first fanfiction ever, so be kind. I am a budding author...who is madly, unconditionally, irrationally in love with the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series! Rated T because of kissing scenes, and mild language.**

PROLOGUE: I AM MADLY, UNCONDITIONALLY, IRRATIONALLY IN LOVE WITH SEAWEED BRAIN

_2:53 a.m. Athena's cabin, in my bed_

I woke up to see _him_ kneeling over me, grinning.

Grinning?

_Crap._

"Hey, Annabeth," he said into my ear.

His green eyes looked deep into mine, locking me in his gaze.

His gaze?

_NOOOO!_

And, out of _all_ things he could have done, his hand reached up and stroked my cheek. I _melted_.

I failed at preventing Seaweed Brain from messing with my mind. Miserably.

And then I had to say, oh so intelligent of me, "Whadareyoudoinhere?"

He laughed. He was cute when he laughed, his messy black hair spilling into those emerald eyes of his, surrounded with the tiniest smile wrinkles. _Gods help me. Please._

"I couldn't fall asleep," he murmured in that deep voice of his, smelling like salt and the ocean and blueberry pancakes and maple syrup and heaven.

"So you had to wake me up along with you?" I managed to yank myself out of dreamland. Specifically, Percy-Jackson-dreamland. I felt proud.

But then he bent down and kissed me. I couldn't think. One of my hands wormed into his silky, irresistible hair. The other locked around his neck. His arms slid around my waist, pulling me closer...and closer...and closer...

We broke apart after maybe twenty minutes of kissing, breathing raggedly. I lost myself in his eyes again and we just gazed at each other. His hand was rubbing up and down my back and playing with my bed-head curls. I wrapped my arms around his waist and realized I had the ability to speak again.

"So, Seaweed Brain...where'd you learn to kiss?" I managed to ask.

"I practiced with this girl..." he trailed off, a hint of a grin curling up his face.

"_What?!_" I practically shouted, and he gently shushed me. My fellow cabin-mates stirred and rolled over, some of them muttering in their sleep.

"What?!" I said again, softer this time.

"Shouldn't you be asking _who_?" he replied, sounding amused.

"Okay, then, _who_?!" I angrily demanded.

"Well, she has blond hair and stormy gray eyes, and she's pretty tall, and good with a knife, and she's exceedingly smart, and belongs to the Athena cabin, and she's been on quests with me. Oh, and she's gorgeous." He looked expectantly at me.

You'll never believe it, but I had to pause and think for a minute.

"Me?"

He nodded, the smile escaping him.

"_Me_?"

He kissed my forehead. "Yes, _you_."

"But..."

Percy laughed. "Look—Grover, Nico, and everybody else says that half the time we're together we're kissing."

My eyebrows furrowed but a blush was creeping up my neck, because it was true. "How come _I_ never heard that?"

He laughed again and brushed the hair out of my eyes. "Because when they said that...we were kissing."

"And you caught it?"

"They told me afterwards."

I considered this for a moment. "Seaweed Brain, can I ask you a question?"

He smiled and kissed my nose. "Sure."

"Am I..." the words paused. "Am I good at kissing?"

He cracked up. I am serious. He was lucky his mouth was pressed against my pillow, or probably everyone within a fifteen-mile radius would've heard him.

He managed to get a grip on himself. "Well," he said seriously, with the tiniest hint of a smile in his eyes, "Yes—but how many boys have you ever kissed before? On the lips?"

"One." I truthfully said. "You. But how good am I?"

"You want to know?" he asked.

"Um, yes," I said.

He leaned in and kissed me again. This time, however, his lips were lighter on mine, and his hands were busier, stroking my curls, and that area behind my neck that made me shiver.

He initiated the breaking apart. "I'm not good!" I exclaimed.

"Yes, you are."

"And how would _you_ know?" I challenged.

He avoided this with a shrug and a brushing of his hand. "Do you think _I_ am good at kissing, then?"

I immediately responded. "Absolutely. You're the best. How many girls have you kissed on the lips before?"

He thought a moment. "Two."

"Me and—" I prodded him.

"Rachel," he reluctantly said. "But _she_ came in on _me_. We—Beckendorf and I— were about to leave and she just came and kinda..." he trailed off.

"Kissed you," I finished.

"Yeah." He looked uncomfortably at me.

"What about Calypso?"

He shook his head. "Only on the forehead. So how _do_ I kiss?"

I closed the distance between us, eager to forget about Rachel Elizabeth Dare and Calypso, and we kissed for the third time.

Why did I have to be so in love with him?!

**Wow, that's my first chapter ever! Let me know if you liked it, hated it, or anything. Again, this is also my first fanfiction, so no flames if possible! BTW, I ****_know_ that Percy and Annabeth are a little OOC. But this is ****_my_ story, not Rick Riordan's. R&R!**


	2. Chapter 1: The Hellhounds of Love

CHAPTER I: TROUBLE WITH THE HELLHOUNDS OF LOVE

_8:32 a.m., Athena's cabin, in my bed_

I woke up, yawning. Percy's warm arms were still securely around my waist, his breathing deep and slow.

"Sleepyhead," I laughed, tousling his raven locks. "Wake up." Most of my cabin-mates were gone.

Percy murmured something and stirred sleepily. "What?"

"Time to get up," I said, stretching out like a cat.

He rubbed his eyes. "Oh...well, in that case, morning, Annabeth."

I laughed. "Morning, Percy."

We shared a brief (nothing like the ones we shared earlier!) morning kiss (blech! I realized I had terrible morning breath, whereas his smelled like mint—I needed to ask him where he got his toothpaste) and he quickly escaped to his cabin. I sighed, watching him go. We didn't actually _do_ anything in bed (other than kiss for long periods of time, is what I mean); we just liked sleeping next to each other, feeling each other's warmth.

However, Mr. D disagreed. "Revolting! Are you _planning_ to get pregnant before you're twenty-one?"

He had threatened suspension if we were caught sleeping together. But that didn't stop stubborn, persistent, adorable Seaweed Brain.

My cabin-mate Allie was awake as well. I guiltily looked at her.

"He came again, huh?"

I nodded reluctantly. I knew I was asking a lot from her—she was risking suspension in keeping her mouth shut. But she approved of him, because—"He's the hottest guy in camp!"

"Today, I am going to pick out what you wear, Annabeth Chase," she suddenly announced, eying me beadily. "It's the fireworks today, remember?"

Uh, yeah, it's _only_ the biggest dating event of the year in Camp Half-Blood. And of course, Seaweed Brain had 'gallantly' asked me to it—though I suspect he was under the influence of a certain satyr and a son of Hades, who was camping out in the Poseidon cabin for now. (They'd sent an Iris message to the gods to make sure it was okay, so fortunately, no one was going to be blasted into dust.)

"Oh. My. Gods." I realized the impact of my selection of clothes. "Hey Allie, mind if I throw on a T-shirt and some shorts real quick and ask Sile—I mean, Rosie for help?"

It was hard, accepting that Silena was gone. Rosie was the next-best Aphrodite camper, though.

Allie nodded, and I threw on some clothes and disappeared.

Percy was "just" coming out from Poseidon's cabin with Nico close on his tail. "Hey, Annabeth. Sleep well last night?"

I winked at him. "Maybe."

"I'm going to grab some breakfast," he said. "Wanna come?"

"No, I needed to go to the Aphrodite cabin real quick about some, uh, advice."

He didn't seem to notice anything. "Okay. See you." He pecked my cheek real quick and sauntered off.

I kept my mission in mind and walked to the Aphrodite cabin. I'd never really been here before, except for cabin inspection.

I hesitated, and then opened the door.

Instantly, a pack of hellhounds jumped on me. I barely had time to swear in Ancient Greek when they began gnawing at my arm, little heart-shaped charms dangling from their collars. _Collars?_ "Whoa!" I shouted as I pulled out my celestial bronze knife.

Usually, the faint glow scares some away but these paid no attention.

I parried and slashed for my life, running across the fields to the pavilion. "PERCY!" I yelled.

He came, looking confused and with some maple syrup on the sides of his lips, but when he saw what was attacking me he instantly uncapped Riptide and ran to my rescue.

In three and a half minutes, they had all vaporized into dust. Percy and I stood there panting heavily—well, me more than him. It helped to be invincible, I supposed.

A couple of Aphrodite campers ran out and looked confused. Then they realized what had happened. "NOOOO!"

Chiron came out, his expression bewildered. "What is going on here?"

"Chiron," a pretty camper with long, flowing brown hair and almond-shaped brown eyes said, "Annabeth and Percy just killed the hellhounds our mother instructed us to keep safe!"

"Belle—" Chiron started.

"They just _killed_ them, like that!" the other girl exclaimed as she snapped her fingers. She was significantly shorter and had blond hair and blue eyes, but was just as pretty.

"Daisy, I am _convinced_ that Percy and Annabeth had no idea whatsoever of what they were facing. They thought only that they were under attack, and they were correct." Chiron firmly said, and turned to us. "You just killed the hellhounds of love, if you were wondering."

"The _what_ of _what_?!" Percy exclaimed.

"The hellhounds of love, dummy," said the older one, Belle. She looked distastefully at Percy.

"What, your mom decided to be nice to Ares for once and let you guys keep his hellhounds healthy and rested to _rip our throats apart_?!" he yelled.

"Percy—" Chiron began.

Belle fixed her amber eyes on him, narrowing them slowly. "I know about _you_, Jackson. 'An interesting love case', as my mother describes it. But just because you're the son of awesome and amazing Poseidon, it doesn't mean you know everything, and it certainly doesn't give you the right to make up fantasies for things that you _don't_ know!"

"Belle!" Chiron exclaimed.

Percy laughed mirthlessly. It was cold and full of hatred. "So old Ares has decided to give you a lesson in who to treat nicely, has he? What, your mom got tired of your dad and sent him in as a replacement to babysit people who have _no_ experience in the real war and the real world, who just sit back and fuss over their eyeshadow and makeup and clothes all day?!"

"Percy!" Chiron pleaded.

Belle clenched her slim and soft white hands. "You may feel great, throwing the weight of your Big Three demigod status around. But _I_ feel—and certainly many others as well—that Aphrodite is the most important. For without her, you and that girl you call the love of your life would be nothing but _coldness_."

"Don't drag her into this!" he spat.

"Acting _heroic_, are we, Jackson?" the brunette beauty taunted. "What, can't save your own skin this time so you decide to save your girlfriend's?"

Breathing heavily, Percy stared her down and a wave of cold, icy creek water doused Belle—and Daisy, for good measure—from head to toe. "Yeah," he answered. "I am."

"Perseus Jackson!" Chiron cried.

It was hard to see who looked more stunned—Belle or Daisy. No doubt this was the first time they'd gotten on my boyfriend's bad side.

Percy clenched his jaw, looking like he might have regretted losing his temper.

"What I find interesting," Chiron finally mused, "Is why Annabeth was at the Aphrodite cabin in the first place."

He glanced reproachfully at me. I felt Percy's warm arms snake around my waist.

"Who cares what she was doing?" he said shakily. "Maybe she just forgot some architectural scroll there, or something. Camp inspection, remember?"

Thank the gods he was smart sometimes and not always having his brain filled with kelp—or seaweed, whichever one you prefer.

"That was a week ago," Chiron replied skeptically. "And I'm sure Annabeth would have noticed."

Curse myself for having such a well-renowned and excellent memory.

"She has lately been busy upon a new discovery in Daedalus's laptop," Percy announced. "That fire-powered catapult, right?"

I nodded and said, "Yeah—I _just_ found out the password for the file. I haven't been very focused on my scrolls of late, but then I wanted to—"

"Compare it with your own design," Percy finished. "Which she suspected she'd lost the day of the inspection, because that was the only other time she'd had it with her. She wanted me to sort out her scrolls, you see, and she had requested me to walk with her."

Yes! We made an _excellent_ lying team, if I do say so myself. His hand took hold of mine.

Chiron accepted this excuse after looking straight into my eyes and thinking deeply. I felt a little uncomfortable with him staring at me like this, but I figured he could detect lying. _Uh-oh_. But the moment passed and he dismissed us.

"Belle and Daisy, I will inform Aphrodite of this. But I will not mention Percy or Annabeth. And I forbid you to speak of it as well. When asked, you may only say that it was an accident involving some archers shooting some arrows in the wrong direction when the cabin doors were open. Swear on the River Styx."

The girls looked murderous, but they did as told.

"Good. Now go and eat breakfast!" he said and we walked off.

"Sorry about that," Percy said in an undertone. "I didn't exactly handle it very well, did I?"

I pressed my lips to his cheek. "It's okay. Belle is a jerk. Hell_o_, the hellhounds were trying to _kill_ us!"

"Kill _you_," he corrected. "Besides, Ares has a big influence, especially on Aphrodite's kids. I think."

I snuggled up against him as we sat down at the breakfast table. "We make good partners in crime," I whispered in his ear.

"Crime?" he laughed.

"We lied to Chiron," I said, piling some pancakes onto my plate.

"But you _are_ working on the fire-powered catapult. And we _did_ do the cabin inspection together. And you _did_ make me sort your scrolls. And you _did_ say that you thought you'd lost one." He protested.

I picked up Seaweed Brain's fork and speared some of his pancake and as I fed him, I answered heavily, "It's not Chiron I'm worried about, though. I'm more worried about Belle and Daisy. There'll be more trouble from them, I'm sure of it."


	3. Chapter 2: Clarisse the Barbaric Barber

CHAPTER II: CLARISSE GIVES ME A BAD HAIRCUT

_12:35 p.m., the sword-fighting arena_

I have to admit, Percy may have a head full of kelp, but he's darn good at sword-fighting.

I think that's partly because he's invincible. But he disagrees.

"Hi-yah!" he said as he totally beat a guy from the Hephaestus cabin in sword-fighting, skillfully disarming him and sweeping Riptide up to his chin. "Dead."

I decided to challenge him. "En garde!" I pronounced and drew my knife as the other boy left.

"Touché," he replied and we began dueling.

Sparks flew from both of our swords as we fought. "You're pretty fast," he said, parrying my blow, "But your guard is too high."

He feinted to the left and jabbed at my stomach. I swiftly sidestepped and slashed at his leg. He blocked it and twisted my knife around. It dropped with a clatter and he swept his sword to my neck. "Dead."

I knew _just_ the way to get to him. I smiled my most dazzling and alluring smile and flipped my hair to the side. He stared at me, open-mouthed. I twitched my fingers at him, signaling _come on over, honey_.

He did so, practically drooling. I tilted my head to the right and leaned in as though about to kiss him. He followed and when our mouths were an inch apart, I grabbed my knife from the ground and attempted to catch him off guard. Instantly alert, he grabbed the hilt of my knife and yanked it away. "Don't try that again, you naughty little girl," he laughed.

"Who's _naughty_?" I said, smiling. And I kissed him, sweaty and all.

"Lovebirds!" the gruff voice of Clarisse came behind me. We broke apart, breathing heavily. I turned around.

"Hey, Clarisse," I answered.

"Listen, _punks_," she said, jabbing her finger at us. "My dad Ares is mad at you guys because you _vaporized_ his special war-trained, war-bred hellhounds. Which means I'm mad, too." Usually Clarisse was in a good mood lately because of Chris, her boyfriend, who was nice and _tried_ to encourage her to be nicer to us. But apparently, he wasn't there to hold her leash, so she had free rein.

"I was right about the whole Aphrodite/Ares thing!" Percy breathed into my ear.

"Shut up," Clarisse snapped. "Now you guys have to _pay_."

She drew her sword and yelled a battle-cry. "CHAAAARGE!"

Instantly, five to ten Ares kids jumped out and began attacking us. It was a well-executed plan. To Chiron, or anyone that happened to walk by, it would look like some training thing, led by Clarisse and Percy.

"Stay behind me," Percy said. "I'm _invincible_."

"I'm _not_ a weakling!" I protested, but he was stronger and forced me behind him.

Looking back on it, it was very smart of him. Because all the sword or javelins that got thrown at him got bounced off his skin, and all the spears that hit him caused no harm. "Stupid River Styx," I heard a guy curse. Suddenly, they seemed to get the general idea that Percy was protecting me and swarmed to where I was. I suddenly found myself dodging blows for my life. I didn't receive any major cuts or bruises, although a girl (which I was quite certain was Clarisse) swung wildly at me with a sword she'd picked up from the ground and it chopped my hair off at my shoulder-line in a jagged, uneven cut. As soon as she'd done that, I attempted to retaliate, but she disappeared.

Everything abruptly stopped. Percy had Riptide at Clarisse's throat. "Well?" She hoarsely croaked.

"Drop your weapons," he ordered.

Slowly but surely, I heard the unmistakable sound of weapons being dropped.

"Et tu, Clarisse," he raised his eyebrows at her.

"What is _that_ supposed to—" she spat, but before she finished, I answered.

"And you, Clarisse," I explained.

She glared at me and released her hold on her spear. It dropped to the ground.

"Now, Clarisse," Percy said conversationally. "You will not mention this to anyone. And you will not attack us again. Understand?"

Clarisse muttered something.

"Swear on the River Styx," I commanded.

"Fine. I swear on the River Styx that I won't tell anyone and I won't attack you again. Happy?" she angrily answered.

"Not particularly," Percy shrugged nonchalantly. "Let's go," he told me and we left the arena.

"A lot of people—and _things_ are attacking us today," I mused.

"They're attracted to us. Like magnets," he answered.

"Like I'm attracted to you?" I teased.

He kissed me. "Yup."

I wondered if I could still go to the Aphrodite cabin for advice, but then Rosie appeared, waving her arm at me. "See you," I told Percy and he left for the stables.

"Hey, Rosie, listen—I'm really sorry about the hellhounds of love." I apologized.

"Don't worry," she said, smiling. She was known for her good nature. "Ares didn't really like them anyways. He just thought they were fierce and we needed a little workout. Anyways, Allie said you wanted me to help you with your outfit and your—oh, my gods! Your hair!"

I nodded. "Clarisse's present of the day."

Rosie sighed in disgust. "That girl...anyhow, how about meeting me at around four o' clock—the fireworks are at seven, and we need to allow time for dinner. But you _have_ to eat in my cabin. We can't allow Percy to see _anything_."

"Uh, yeah, sure. What should I bring?" I asked.

"Nothing, my dear friend. I'll provide. And my dear mother will, as well," Rosie said.

"What about my sizes?"

"Nah, don't worry. I can shrink anything," she winked mischievously at me. "I gotta go—Belle wants to interrogate me about stealing her lipstick. See ya!" She dashed off.


	4. Chapter 3: Cupid shoots Fart Arrows

**Sorry this chapter is so short, but I couldn't really think of anything to write about Eros attacking Annabeth and Percy. Aren't you getting kind of sick of everybody attacking the couple? Heehee, that's my evil nature coming out. MWAHAHAHAHA! XD**

CHAPTER III: CUPID SHOOTS FART ARROWS AT MY HEART

_2:58 p.m., near the archery arena_

I was leaving the archery arena when Cupid—I mean, Eros, materialized in front of me with a pained expression on his handsome (though not nearly as good-looking as Percy's) face.

"Mother is mad. I am sorry."

He drew an arrow and in a second it was shooting at my heart. "Ahh!" I yelled and rolled out of the way. It exploded with the smell of fart and rotten eggs. "Eww!" I exclaimed and drew my knife.

Eros glared at my weapon. "I hate knives." He pointed his finger at it and it began trying to cut _me_. I dropped it in alarm and scrambled towards the dining pavilion and the Big House.

"HELP!" I screamed as another flock of arrows zipped by me—one was so close I almost felt the sting.

And who came but Seaweed Brain with Riptide in his hand and a mad/exasperated look on his face. "Eros!" he bellowed, charging.

"Hello, Perseus," Eros calmly said, shooting some more arrows at me. Percy jumped in front of me and they all bounced off his chest.

"You invincible _demigods_ all think you're better than the rest," the god scoffed. "But you're not."

He pulled out a canister marked in Ancient Greek and took out the arrows that were inside. I managed to read the label on the canister: FOR INVINCIBLE DEMIGODS/GODS/MONSTERS ONLY.

"Percy!" I warned him. "These arrows can hurt you."

"I _know_!" he snapped as the first flock of the deadly, poison-tipped arrows flew by us. Percy ran forward with Riptide and dodged the arrows with swiftness. "RAAAAH!" he yelled and cleaved Eros's bow in half.

Eros's eyes turned a frosty blue. "Mother told me not to interfere with you," he hissed. "But I think I can make an EXCEPTION!"

There was a great bang and Percy flew backwards, crying out and covering his right eye. Eros vanished with a poof and reappeared on a low cloud above us. "THIS IS NOT OVER!" he yelled and vanished.

I ran to Percy's side. "Are you okay?" I asked, concerned.

"Uhhhhh..." he groaned.

I peeled back his hand and gasped at what I saw.

His normally twinkling, sea-green eye was blood-encrusted and oozing some sort of yellow thing. "Annabeth..." he moaned.

"Don't worry. I've got some nectar and ambrosia." I pulled them out and began treating his eye.

"Ow," he winced when I hit a particularly sensitive spot. Flustered, I almost jabbed his eye. "Oww!" he exclaimed.

"Sorry," I said, and kissed his eyelid.

His eye suddenly seemed much brighter. "I think it's better now."

"Yeah, right," I laughed. I dabbed a little more ointment on it and smiled in satisfaction as it began to smoke. The flesh began to re-grow and soon everything was back to normal.

"Thanks," he said as I gathered everything together. "I was beginning to worry you'd have to see the fireworks by yourself."

"And _why_," I asked as we set off, fingers laced together, "Is it always _you_ that saves me?"

"Because you'd do the same for me," he said plainly, looking deep into my eyes.

I laughed and pulled him into a kiss.


	5. Chapter 4: A Torture Session

**This chapter is my least favorite. A beauty lesson for a daughter of Athena? Nawwwwwt likely! But I figured Annabeth needed some beautifying tips. After all, she has to look good for her Seaweed Brain.**

CHAPTER IV: I GO TO MY BEAUTY LESSON/TORTURE CHAMBER

_4:01 p.m., Aphrodite cabin_

"ANNABETH!" Rosie bellowed upon my entrance. I winced, feeling the hair on my neck stand on end. "You're very nearly late."

"By _one minute_," I laughed, casting a dubious glance over the assortment of bags tucked away at her feet.

She noticed. "Aha! Let's get started."

Pulling out a book with several complex diagrams, she said, "Now, your eyes are gray, and your hair is blond, and your skin is tan, right?"

"Uh, yeah..."

"I think that turquoise would go excellently with you," she decided. "Maybe a strapless halter dress..." As she spoke, the garment flew out of one of the bags at her feet and presented itself in front of me.

"No way. Not strapless," I moaned.

"It has a built-in bra," she coaxed.

"I'm _not_ the type," I protested.

"Finnnnnne," she fumed. "How about a turquoise minidress?"

"Too short," I sighed.

"A turquoise...full-length ballroom gown?" she half-jokingly said as it appeared in front of us.

I actually thought it was pretty, just a little old-fashioned. "It's actually kind of nice..."

"OH MY GODS, ANNABETH," Rosie shouted. "IT'S JULY."

"Right. Sorry," I said.

Series of dresses began appearing in front of me. I found a fault with each one. Finally, she pulled out a really nice one.

It had slightly frilly sleeves and was made of a shimmering turquoise material that looked dark blue in its folds. Right at the top of where my ribs would be was a green satin ribbon. I reached out a hand and felt it. It felt like rose-petal bathwater. And the best part was that it had a modest neckline, and dropped down to just below my knees.

"It'll cling _right_ to you, Annabeth," Rosie bubbled. "I _mean_, _RIGHT_ to you. Very, very figure-flattering. And you'll look simply _gorgeous_ in a chunky sea-green necklace, matching bangles, and drop-pearl earrings. Oh, and a pearl hair barrette—I'm thinking of just straightening it and letting it flow. I'll dust your eyelids with some turquoise eye shadow, and lip gloss on your lips, and a hint of blush, and then strappy heels."

I nodded, pretending to understand. "Here, try it on," she said, thrusting it into my hands. "Trust me, it'll fit."

Stepping into a dark corner, I slipped my Camp Half-Blood tee and jeans off. Quickly, I slid the garment over my head and let it conform to my shape. I wanted to sigh in delight. It felt like silk, Percy's arms, and a luxurious bubble bath all at the same time.

"Come, come out!" Rosie impatiently exclaimed.

I stepped out of my corner, clinging to my old clothes. She tapped her chin thoughtfully "I think it works," she said. "Try on these shoes." She tapped on of her bags and a pair of blue strappy two-and-a-half-inch heels appeared in front of us. I took them and tried them on. Surprisingly, they felt more comfortable than they looked, and I could walk comfortably in them.

"You like?" Rosie grinned, pulling a full-length mirror in front of me. I admired myself and nodded.

She then pulled out makeup, jewelry, a hair-straightener and some hair accessories. "This is the part where _I_ get to work on _you_," she said happily, clapping her hands. "Sit right here."

Before I was even aware of what was going on, she had fastened the chunky sea-green necklace around my throat and slid the bangles onto my wrist. She then deftly pulled out my owl studs and slid in the drop-pearl earrings.

"Ow!" I suddenly exclaimed. Rosie's sharp red nails were digging into my scalp as she finger-combed my hair quickly. "Hold _still_!" she snapped as she took a lock of my hair and clipped it between the two tongs of the straightener. She held it a second there and then began slowly moving down to the end of my hair. I reached up and felt my hair. It was silky and soft.

In record time, she had finished straightening my hair. Rosie then slid in the pearl barrettes and tucked my hair behind my ears. "Now for the makeup," she smiled.

Instructing me to close my eyes, Rosie lined it with some black eyeliner, and then dusted them with some turquoise eye-shadow. After putting on some mascara and lining my eyebrows with some dark eyebrow pencil, she finished everything by patting some blush onto my cheeks and swiping my lips with strawberry-flavored lip gloss.

"Oh. My. Gods." I said, looking at my reflection. I would have _never_ in a million years been able to do that by myself.

"I forgot your nails!" Rosie gasped and a bottle of clear nail polish appeared. Before I could protest, she had somehow 'extended' my nails and the nail polish was glinting on them.

"Okay, I think you're done," she finally said after fixing a minuscule problem with my mascara. "I'd say...nine point eight, docking point two for your posture and smile. Relax! Be confident! And have fun!"

Sighing, I sat there primly as she disappeared into the dining pavilion, grabbing something for me to eat.

What a great torture session—I mean, beauty lesson.


	6. Chapter 5: Stalker Alert!

**OMG, you guys rock! I'm so glad you like my story. And so I decided to update **_**again**_**, today! Thanks again! And continue to R&R!**

CHAPTER V: STALKER ALERT!

_4:47 p.m., Aphrodite cabin_

I was sitting there, waiting for Rosie to come with my food, when I heard movement nearby. "Who's there?" I yelled, my half-blood instincts overriding me.

"It's just me," a voice whispered, and suddenly the man I was trying to surprise himself appeared right in front of me, holding my New York Yankees cap in his hand. He stared at me as fury and anger built up inside of me. "Whoa, you look great! And your hair…it's like perfect!"

He didn't seem to notice my frustration as he strode across the room, a gust of wind following him. The window was open. Why hadn't I noticed?!

Percy sat down next to me, gaping in admiration. "You look…great!"

A tiny bit of my pride returned to me. "You've said that already. And you said that like I've never looked great before."

"No, no," he quickly corrected. "I mean, you always look great, but this time you look…like…really great!"

I couldn't help myself. I smiled and blushed.

But then the next thing he said made me all pissed again. "Why are you so dressed up, though?"

"PERSEUS JACKSON!" I yelled.

He looked at me with a mixture of confusion and fear in his gaze. "W-what…?"

"WHAT EVENT DO YOU THINK I'D DRESS UP FOR?!" I shouted. "HMM, WHAT'S GOING ON TODAY? ONLY THE BIGGEST DATING EVENT OF THE SUMMER! AND I WAS DRESSING UP TO SURPRISE _YOU_ AND IT WOULD'VE WORKED IF YOU HADN'T BURST IN ON ME!"

"Oh," he said.

"THAT'S ALL YOU CAN SAY? _OH_?! I WAS WAITING FOR YOU TO ASK ME ALL SUMMER, BUT YOU DIDN'T, AND I DECIDED I'D BE THE MAN IN THIS SITUATION AND ASK YOU MYSELF!" I finished, breathing heavily.

"So that's what it's all about? Asking you to the fireworks?" Seaweed Brain asked when I'd calmed down a little bit. "You could've told me."

This got me all started over again. "_TOLD YOU?! TOLD YOU?! _I'VE BEEN MENTIONING IT ALL SUMMER, HOPING YOU'D CATCH MY DRIFT OR AT LEAST TAKE THE HINT. BUT _NOOO_, YOU'RE SO OBTUSE YOU CAN ONLY UNDERSTAND THINGS THAT ARE TOLD TO YOU EXACTLY HOW THEY ARE!"

"In that case," he said, oblivious to my seething anger, Percy got down on one knee and took my manicured hand. "Would you go to the fireworks with me?"

All my anger evaporated. His green eyes sparkled up to me innocently, his black hair messy as always, his hand warm, soft, and smooth. And I realized he _was_ sorry. And I was, too, because after all—he is a Seaweed Brain.

"Okay," I smiled, and he got up and sat beside me again, stroking my powdered cheek.

"You look beautiful," he breathed into my ear.

"Thanks," I replied, resisting the urge to roll my eyes.

"I'm sorry," Percy told me. "I am an idiot."

"No, you're not," I countered. "You're just not perfect. And that's why I love you."

"That's why I love you too," he said, smiling, and kissed me. There went my lipgloss.

It would've been a romantic moment if Rosie hadn't burst in, carrying a tray full of dinner. "Oh. Oops, sorry!" she giggled, and then realized who was kissing who.

"PERCEUS JACKSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

**Another short, short chapter. I decided to just make this one kinda like a Percabeth one-shot, you know, full of yelling (on Annabeth's part), sweetness (on Percy's part), and an overall feeling of fluffiness. =D R&R!**


	7. Chapter 6: Fireworks, Literally

**I reread what I wrote earlier, and I couldn't help but add another chapter. Beware children of Aphrodite's wrath!**

CHAPTER VI: FIREWORKS…LITERALLY

Let me spare you the details of the wrath of Rosie, but I'll just sum it up by the fact that my Seaweed Brain was first given a really long lecture, dressed in a ridiculous, eighteenth-century dress robe thing, and finally tied to one of the fireworks with a trident on it and blasted into the sky at 7:36 p.m. for the best entertainment I've ever seen in my lifetime.

He wasn't hurt because of his stupid invulnerability, but he came back down disheveled and covered with ashes. I was cracking up so hard, holding my camera with which I had taken about two hundred pictures.

"Gimme that!" he laughed playfully, and tried to yank it from me.

"Oh, no you didn't!" I retorted and pulled it away from his grasp. It resulted in a goose-chase around Camp Half-Blood with the camp cheering for me or him, egging us on.

Eventually, he leapt forward in one final desperate effort and tackled me to the ground. I shrieked in surprise as he tied my hands behind my back, but managed to tuck the camera into my pocket. I felt him panting at my neck. "Now, Annabeth Chase, be a good girl, and hand me the camera."

"Over my dead body," I said dramatically, and the camp howled with laughter.

"Nice invitation," Percy sneered, "But you're my girlfriend. So, unfortunately, I can't do that."

"That's too bad," I teased. "I was beginning to think you had guts."

The camp made sounds like, "Burnnnnn, Jackson!" or "Your girlfriend got you there, Percy!"

"Then I think I'll have to apply force," Percy calmly replied, and suddenly he twisted my arm back and I yelped in pain.

"Geez, Jackson, lighten up!"

"I thought I didn't have guts," Seaweed Brain answered, and the camp made those noises again, except directed towards me. "You just got told, Annabeth!"

"Well, it's kinda hard to _hand you_ my camera when you've got me all tied up and everything," I retaliated.

"Oh, you're a smart one," Percy laughed lightly, and peeled me off the ground, scooping the camera up in one quick motion. Then, he untied my hands and ran off.

He had a heads start, which was totally unfair, and I saw him throwing my camera into the sea. "No!" I playfully screamed and dove after it, but Percy made the waves move it away faster and faster.

"Oh, is that the game you want to play?" I thundered dangerously. "No kissing for a week."

"Annabeth," Percy pleaded.

"Nope, not gonna happen," I folded my arms around my chest, feeling the stares of campers all around.

"Bad luck, Jackson!" someone called out.

Percy gave a tiny eye roll and then stepped forward. I smelled his ocean scent, but refused to let it entice me again.

"You know you can't resist me," he said, his eyes twinkling.

"Of course I can," I replied in a level voice. "I'm a daughter of Athena."

"Well, can daughters of Athena avoid this?" Percy asked and dipped me over by my waist and kissed me.

The crowd cheered and wolf-whistled, and then finally subsided to silence as they waited for my reaction.

"Well," I finally said, glaring at him. "I guess not."

And then I kissed him again, and the camp went wild.

* * *

Later that night, I staggered back to the Athena cabin in my once-nice turquoise dress which was now stained with mud, water, and ripped in several places. One pearl-drop earring had fallen off, my heels had been kicked off a long time ago when I had been running away from Percy, my hair had returned to its usual curliness, and the traces of makeup I had had on earlier were totally gone.

I collapsed into bed after taking a quick shower, sighing in exhaustion, when I realized there was something hard underneath the pillow.

I lifted it up to see the dried and shiny as ever Kodak camera that I had used to take the embarrassing pictures of Percy…

It had a note attached to it and a picture. The note read:

_I deleted all the pictures you took of me, but I decided to show my girlfriend (and love of my life) some mercy._

_--Seaweed Brain_

Then I turned over the note and chucked quietly when I saw the picture of a trident and owl fireworks in the sky, a pink heart surround them, and the crowd going wild.

_The biggest dating event of the summer, _I thought, smiling to myself. _I guess we missed the fireworks. But the real entertainment was a certain idiot and his imperfect girlfriend._

And I woke up at two a.m. to find Seaweed Brain snuggled next to me.

**Awww...if I say so myself, the ending was really sweet. *sniffs* R&R!**


	8. Chapter 7: TV stars & a Creepy Prophecy

**Wow—eight chapters in one day! I know the title really has nothing to do with the story itself, but this chapter will include the prophecy (so I won't have to rewrite the summary and title)…and Belle and Daisy will return, evil as ever!**

CHAPTER VII: WE'RE TV STARS AND WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IT

The next few days passed as normal, with archery practice, fighting, Capture the Flag, and, obviously, lots of kissing. But then one day I discovered Percy and I were being secretly filmed.

So I was taking a walk with Seaweed Brain on the beach one day, holding his hand and laying my head on his shoulder. I suddenly felt like someone was watching us. And believe me, I'm usually right.

"Percy?" I asked, and he looked at me. "Do you feel like…someone's staring at us?"

"Not really," he frowned, puzzled, and then we both heard movement in the bushes. We both spun around and the rustling stopped.

"Seaweed Brain…" I said, almost afraid, but he, bold as ever, stepped forward and jabbed Riptide at the bushes. There came squealing and yelping and two girls and a huge black movie camera appeared from out of it.

"Daisy? And Belle?" I said incredulously. I thought they were done with us.

"Annabeth Chase, bad fashion taste as usual," Belle spat, as she hurriedly hid the camera behind her back. "None of your business."

"Uh, I don't think you should say that to a guy holding a sword to your necks," Percy said pointedly.

Belle sighed impatiently and Daisy made a little noise of fear. "Okay, fine," Belle confessed. "My mother recently appointed me as the camera-woman for _The Chronicles of Percabeth_."

"For _what?_" I said, confused.

"You guys have your own TV show on Olympus," Daisy explained. "And we're supposed to video you guys having your own little Percabeth moments."

"Whoa, wait. What's _Percabeth_?" Percy asked, frustrated.

"Your names combined," Belle said matter-of-factly. "It all started when Aphrodite had a prophecy made about you guys, and she got so overwhelmed she decided to start a TV show about you two."

"Hold on!" I said. "We have a _prophecy_? About our _relationship_?"

"Uh, duh?" Daisy said as though we were very _sloooow_ kindergarteners.

"Well then, can we _hear _it?" I asked with a note of impatience rising in my voice.

"Okay, okay, fine," Belle resignedly said as Percy dug his sword a little more into his chin. She pressed a few buttons on her video camera and suddenly an image was projected into space.

Rachel was sitting there, her green eyes glowing like she always did when she had a prophecy. Aphrodite was also there, listening intently.

"_A pair that is a tight as glue,_

_Has a love that is pure and true._

_But just as always no love is perfect,_

_There is always one or more defects._

_One will go on a journey far,_

_To the land where there are no stars._

_The other will languish in great sorrow,_

_Always waiting for tomorrow._

_But through it all their love remains,_

_In the sunshine or in the rain._

_Eventually they will return to each other,_

_Their love will resume for always and ever._"

The image faded, and Belle and Daisy looked expectantly at Percy, who was staring, open-mouthed, at where the projection had been. "That's a long prophecy," I finally said, breaking the silence.

"Sounded kind of depressing, too," Percy added.

"Hell_o_?" Belle and Daisy said together, evidently annoyed that they hadn't been released yet. "The last two lines: _Eventually they will return to each other, their love will resume for always and ever_?"

"Yeah, but _One will go on a journey far, to the land where there are no stars, the other will languish in great sorrow, always waiting for tomorrow _is saddening," I said, secretly wondering who would go on that journey.

"Okay, can we _please_ go now?" Belle begged, and Percy reluctantly released them and they ran off.

"Don't be so unhappy," I finally said, stroking his cheek. "We're TV stars!"

"Oh, crap," Percy suddenly faced me, shock and realization in his green eyes. "What if they filmed the fact that I sleep with you almost every night? And what if _Athena _saw the show?!"

Uh oh.

**Love it? Hate it? The rest of the story will be about the prophecy. =D R&R!**


	9. Chapter 8: Enter the Gods and Goddesses

**Loved your comments. Carolzynha LF, you are right—the prophecy was a little...well...not like a prophecy the Oracle of Delphi would do, especially the 'tight as glue' part! But I thought it was essential or else it'd sound even more choppy (stupid rhyming skills.) Keep on reviewing! **

CHAPTER VIII: ENTER THE GODS/GODDESSES

_9:48 a.m., the throne room in Olympus_

The next day, we were summoned to Olympus. "This can't be good," Percy muttered under his breath.

The twelve gods and goddesses were seated calmly...well, _most_ of them were seated _calmly _*coughcoughAthenacoughcough* in their thrones, gazing regally (or angrily) at us.

"So, what have we here," boomed Zeus. The room literally shook, and I held on to Seaweed Brain for dear life.

"Brother, you're scaring the kids," Poseidon said, grinning at Percy.

"Kids?" Percy challenged.

"Okay, heroes, heroines, moody teenagers, whatever," the God of the Sea laughed.

"Uncle, get to the point," Athena pointedly said, her cheeks red with anger.

"Fine, Athena." Poseidon turned towards us. Even though he looked stern, I thought there were tiny smile wrinkles around his eyes. "We the Gods—"

"And goddesses," Athena corrected.

"Do you want me to do it or not?" Poseidon angrily asked.

"Fine," Athena stiffly replied, but muttered underneath her breath, "Sexist pig."

"I heard that!" Poseidon glared at her.

"Whatever."

"_Anyways_," Percy's dad turned to us, "We the Gods and _Goddesses_—" (he threw a dirty look at Athena) "Have heard about your...uh...prophecy."

"Ooh, drama!" Aphrodite gushed, running a pink tube of lip gloss across her already glossy lips.

"Shut up, Aphrodite," Poseidon boomed, and then faced us again. "And Athe—I mean, _some of us_—" (another dirty look) "Did not approve of the fact that there was a prophecy made about your relationship."

Athena lost her temper. "Do not approve?!" she exclaimed. "I have granted you enough permission, Perseus Jackson, yet you still sleep with my daughter and inspire TV shows and prophecies made about you two!"

"You sleep with Annabeth?" Poseidon looked interestedly at Percy.

Both our cheeks turned red and Percy stammered out, "Uh, yeah, but we don't _do_ anything except—"

"Get my daughter pregnant when she's seventeen!" Athena shrilly yelled.

Dionysus looked angry. "Didn't I _tell_ you two that you may not—"

"We don't _do_ anything!"

"Except have—"

"We only _kiss_, not do—"

"Perseus Jackson, I cannot allow this—"

"Mother, relax, we don't do anything!"

"Annabeth, stay out of this."

"But _mom_..."

"ENOUGH!" Poseidon boomed and everyone fell quiet. "Look, we have footage because of _someone_—" (he coughed but it sounded suspiciously like the word 'Aphrodite') "And I have not seen anything impregnating. Yet."

"That's because I refuse to let my daughter have kids with that sea beast!" Athena shrieked. "They may date, but there are _plenty_ other smart, witty, and charming men out there."

"Mo-ohm," I protested, "You told me to be happy. And I am happy."

"Because he's brainwashing you!"

"Athena," Percy spoke up suddenly. "I swear on the River Styx I will not impregnate your daughter—"

"What?!" I faced him.

"I wasn't finished yet. I swear on the River Styx I will not impregnate your daughter until the honeymoon."

There was a rumbling sound in the sky and we looked up nervously.

"O-kay," Poseidon said finally. "Well then, what was that about your prophecy?"

Looking bored, Dionysus said, "We got interrupted."

"Ah yes, thank you, Dionysus. What I was saying is that the prophecy may or may not occur soon, and we gods—and goddesses, would like to give you our blessing."

Percy and I shared a nervous glance. "Uh, why?"

"See this, uncle?" Athena said again in that shrill voice of hers. "Dimwitted. He is _no_ match for my daughter!"

"Quiet, Athena," Zeus said in a tired voice. "Continue, brother."

"We would like to give you our blessing so that you will be protected from whatever harm may come from that journey. And so that you will fulfill the last two lines of the prophecy." Poseidon finished, looking at us expectantly.

"Sure," Percy said.

"Yeah, okay," I agreed.

The gods and goddesses all raised their hands (Athena in a very reluctant manner) and pointed it at us. Energy flowed from them and engulfed us. Immediately we felt stronger, and we bowed down saying our thanks.

"Now go back to your camp," Zeus concluded. "Dionysus, will you do the honors?"

"Sure," Mr. D said in a bored tone and immediately we disappeared with a poof and reappeared in Camp Half-Blood with the smell of grapes lingering in the air.

"Well, that was interesting," Seaweed Brain said, summing it up pretty well.

"Yeah. Sure. _Interesting._" I snorted.

**And that's another chapter done. **** Love you guys and R&R!**


	10. Chapter 9: Oops, I Commit Suicide

**Chapter ten is finally here after several hours of grueling mind block, =P. And, BTW, this is the beginning of the prophecy, starting with Annabeth committing suicide, teehee. Oh, and I **_**just**_** noticed that in Ch.5, Stalker Alert, I misspelled "Perseus" at the end. I spelled it "Perceus"! How mortifying! Sorry, none of you probably noticed that. I'm rambling now. Let's get to the story.**

CHAPTER IX: I (ACCIDENTALLY) COMMIT SUICIDE

After returning to Camp Half-Blood, Percy and I decided to take a walk along the beach to "clear up" our feelings.

"That was funny," I said after a few minutes of silence.

"_What_ was funny?"

"When you told my mom you wouldn't impregnate me until our honeymoon," I teased.

"Wait, so we're already getting married?" Percy asked lightly.

"It depends on when you get the ring," I told him, and he feigned surprise.

"That's interesting, because I had it all ready..."

"_What_?!" I yelped. "Perseus Jackson, we are seventeen."

"Very _hot_ seventeen year olds," he muttered underneath his breath and I swatted him.

"Shut up."

"Well, now that you mentioned the ring," Percy said with a devilish grin on his face.

"Nuh-uh, Seaweed Brain. Remember when I said I'm not going to make things easy for you? You'll have to catch me first!" I told him and then sped off.

"No fair! You had a head start!" I heard him yell and then heard him start running after me.

I wasn't watching where I was going, though, and soon I came too close to the edge of the cliff...

"ANNABETH!" I heard Percy yell as I found myself treading on air and falling faster and faster towards the waves below.

The last thing I remember seeing is a black, jagged rock, and then everything went dark.

* * *

_Percy's POV _**(A/N: Yay! Finally!)**

What the Hades did she think she was doing?!

After she had fallen, I had sprinted as fast as I could to the cliff and jumped over, summoning the water to cushion my fall, after which I swam as quick as possible towards where her still, lifeless form on that rock.

"Annabeth..." I moaned, tears streaking my face, holding her limp body. Quickly, I lay her flat on the rock and then began compressing on her chest. Water came out of her mouth, but it didn't seem to help.

Already, several campers had come and were gazing down at us in apparent horror. "GET CHIRON!" I yelled at them, and they ran off quickly.

Soon, the centaur had arrived and had thrown ropes down into the sea, but I didn't need them. I made the water rise and form a kind of platform which I hopped onto, carrying Annabeth's body, and the platform rose to the ground level. "Help. Please," I begged.

Chiron let me jump onto his back and he galloped towards the Big House. "She is very weak, Percy," he said with a note of distress in his voice.

"Can you do anything?" I anxiously asked as Chiron laid Annabeth out on a stretcher.

"I shall do my best," the centaur said dubiously, and then began chanting in Ancient Greek.

A green glow lit up Annabeth's body, and her mouth opened slightly as Chiron began chanting more and more frantically.

But nothing else happened except the image of some kind of plant appeared in the green mist.

"Percy, summon the Demeter kids immediately."

I ran to the Demeter cabin and yelled, "Lily, get everyone to come to the Big House fast! Annabeth's dying!"

Immediately, the door burst open and we all sprinted back to the big house.

"Lily, what is this plant?" Chiron said as calmly as he could in the present circumstances.

Lily frowned as she peered closely at the mist. "It appears to be...some sort of...oh, my gods!"

"Yes?" Chiron encouraged her.

"Dragonsweed."

"_What_?!" everybody in the room exclaimed.

"Yeah...uh...it's really...rare, and I think it's only obtainable in the...uh...underworld."

"There's dragonsweed in the underworld?" another Demeter kid said, sounding confused.

"Well _mother_ always said that the first plant Persephone ever planted in the underworld was—"

"Okay, okay!" Chiron said, clopping his hooves on the floor. "Look, I don't know _how_ or _who_ is going to obtain this dragonsweed, but—"

"I will," I stepped forward, my face feeling wet from the tears. And this is coming from a guy who never gets wet unless I want to.

"Percy, Annabeth needs you here to help her heal," Chiron explained. "And so—"

"No, I have to. Aphrodite even had a prophecy made about this."

"She had a _prophecy_ made about—"

"Look, that doesn't matter now. I just know I have to go into the underworld to get this dragonsweed, or whatever this thing is called." I said angrily. Each minute we spent arguing was one minute more that Annabeth was dying.

"At least ask the Oracle for a quest," Chiron desperately said.

"No, Aphrodite already made the prophecy!" I yelled. "Let me just go!"

Chiron and the other people in the room exchanged glances. "Well..."

"Oh, screw this." And I ran off to my probable doom.


	11. Chapter 10: Even Ghosts Hate Me

**Sorry, school keeps me from updating. I know the last ending was a cliffy; I just **_**had**_** to tease you guys for once! Enjoy!**

CHAPTER X: EVEN GHOSTS HATE ME

_12:53 p.m., somewhere in New York_

Percy's POV

Children of Athena are famous for always having plans. Unfortunately, I'm not a child of Athena (um, hello? That's what Annabeth was for!) So I found myself in classic NY traffic, my stomach rumbling and having enough money in my pocket to make a hobo seem rich.

"Yo," a voice came from behind me, and I spun around to face Nico di Angelo, grinning at me. (**A/N: I got the 'yo' from Maximum Ride. Don't you guys kinda think that Fang is sorta like Nico? Like, dark, and all gothic? :D) **

"Nico! What's a son of Hades doing here?"

"I sensed a spirit come very close to dying," he responded, flicking a piece of his shaggy black hair out of his brown eyes. "And, obviously, I investigated and realized that someone, i.e. you, would be brokenhearted."

"Gee, thanks," I said sarcastically. "Anyways, can you help?"

"Duh," he said with a 'duh' air (**A/N: Lolz!**) "I've been bored all summer. This is, like, the best opportunity ever. Do you mind shadow traveling?"

"Yeah," I said. "But I'll go to save my fair damsel in distress."

"I'd like to tell Annabeth that," he snorted and then led me to a shady area. "Get ready."

Suddenly, I felt a whirling and squeezing sensation (**A/N: Kinda like Apparating in Harry Potter, you see?**) and found myself at a place in which there was a huge gaping hole in front of me.

Reading the confusion on my face, Nico said, "This is where Hades pulled Persephone into the Underworld. We need to find dragonsweed, right?"

"Yeah. What the Hades is that, anyways?" I asked.

"The weed of a dragon?" Nico helpfully provided.

"Ha-ha. Very funny. Let's go." I surged forward, but Nico stopped me.

"_What_?!" I impatiently asked.

"Lately, my father has been...uh...a little _protective_," Nico tentatively explained. I instantly knew he was keeping something from me.

"Nico..." I warned.

"Okay, okay, ever since you got in the Styx so easily he doesn't really want other people going into the Underworld besides his kids."

"So?" I said and tried to walk forward again.

"Dude, seriously," Nico said seriously. "You need to get his blessing fir—"

"I don't give a crap about his blessing," I hissed, and ran into the Underworld.

"PERCY!"

* * *

We had both made it into the Underworld without much interference, except for bumping into a couple of disgruntled ghosts swarming at the entrance. "See?" I said smugly. "I told you so."

"Whatever," Nico shrugged it off, once again resuming his famed blasé expression.

"Can you shadow-travel us to Persephone's garden thing?" I asked.

Before he had answered, there was that squeezing sensation again and we found ourselves in a beautiful garden.

Okay, I'm not the flowery, plant-y, earthy (sorry, Gaea) type. But this garden was pretty enough to rival even Calypso's (shut up, Annabeth.). It was hard to imagine that all this was in the Underworld.

"It's not like the Underworld is all black and foggy," Nico said, reading my mind. That kid creeps me out sometimes. Okay, okay—all the time.

"So where's dragonsweed?" I brusquely cut to the chase.

Nico looked at me like I was crazy. "Do I look like a gardener?"

"Then how the Hades are we supposed to freaking find it?!"

"Patience," a smooth, female voice reached our ears. We whirled around to face a beautiful woman with long, glossy auburn hair and icy blue eyes with irises that looked like ever-changing flowers in a long, flowing white dress.

"Persephone," Nico said, and bowed. I did after a pause.

"Rise, my heroes," she said. I liked her—she reminded me of Artemis, regal, powerful—but less disdainful towards men.

"Persephone," Nico said again. "I-I thought you were in Olympus!"

"Indeed, but I must aid you in your quest," she said, facing me. "Aphrodite is quite a gossip-girl, in case you haven't noticed."

Nico grinned widely at me. "_The Chronicles of Percabeth_ has a four point eight five ranking, and was named the 'most frequently watched TV show of the year'! Even my dad watched some of it!"

I was gonna kill that kid someday.


	12. Chapter 11: Me the Gardener?

**My chapters are getting shorter and shorter **** because I had originally written it in book format, not in chapter to chapter format, so I was obliged to write more. Oh well. Here's chapter eleven. R&R!**

CHAPTER XI: APPARENTLY I'M NOT THE GARDENING TYPE

Persephone led us through her garden, occasionally checking in on a flower bud or something. Each time we stopped, I grew more and more impatient.

"Young hero," Persephone turned to me, amused. "I assure you, Annabeth will not die within the next five minutes."

"Sorry," I muttered as Nico shot me a funny look.

"Ah, here we are," Persephone sighed. I looked up, expecting to see some sort of magical plant which I could take and go back to Camp Half-Blood to heal Annabeth with, but _no_, I found myself facing a weird vine-like plant that bowed towards Persephone.

I couldn't contain myself any longer. "Persephone, can you just show me the dragonsweed?"

Persephone and Nico both laughed, making me feel even more embarrassed. "I'm afraid you are a thousand years too late," Persephone finally said, wiping at her eyes. "Dragonsweed is...not here anymore."

"What?!" I said so loudly that several plants shrank away. "Then what are we even doing here?!"

"Perseus," Persephone said, "You see, I am here to _guide_ you, not _give_ it to you."

"Wait," I suddenly realized. "So in the prophecy, if the Underworld isn't the land without stars...what is?"

Persephone smiled slightly. "I think, my young half-blood, you should look _beyond_ my garden. There are other places in the Underworld than just this little area, you know."

"But where's the damn dragonsweed?!" I was really, really losing my top now.

"Dragonsweed," Persephone finally said, "Is a _was_ now. I stopped creating it after I realized how dangerous it was."

"So how do I cure her now?" I said, probably sounding clueless.

"You'll have to collect many different things and fuse them together in a technique known as—"

"What do I have to collect?" I interrupted her.

Persephone squeezed her eyes shut as she thought. "A cupful of water from each the Acheron, the Cocytus, the Lethe, and the Styx, a pinch of ashes from the eternal flames of the Phlegethon, the roots of a just-bloomed moonlace, and the milky-white flower of moly. Plant the flower of moly and the roots of the moonlace in the ashes of the Phlegethon, and water them with the Acheron, Cocytus, Lethe, and Styx. Wait three hours and it should fuse together to form dragonsweed. Oh—" here she faintly smiled. "As you are saving your love, you must give to her the dragonsweed in a token of your love for her in order for it to properly work. Sorry—Aphrodite requested for dramatic effects." She handed me a cup and a sack with some 'flower-planting' stuff in it.

"Gee, that's great. Oh well. Okay. Thanks. Bye." And I ran off.

* * *

As predicted, Nico followed me. "Let's go to the Acheron first," I said.

"Uh," Nico said. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"_Why_?" I said in a tone of voice that indicated that if he didn't say something good, and fast, he would probably be joining his daddy soon.

"Charon won't let us, most likely," Nico matter-of-factly stated. "I mean, unless we look dead. Being dead would really help. And having some drachmas would too."

"I have the drachmas," I said, "But I'm kinda lacking in the dead department."

Nico rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay, let's just see what happens."

We shadow-traveled to the Acheron and I took the cup Persephone had given me, took a deep breath, and knelt down to scoop up the water.

The water was gray and I could almost hear spirits murmuring and singing beneath it. Instantly, I felt like a million years old. The saddest things that had ever occurred to me flashed through my mind—people I knew dying, the battles I had faced, holding up the sky, Annabeth dying...

At the mention of Annabeth dying, I snapped back to reality and heard Nico yelling, "Percy! Percy!"

I looked up and saw Charon in front of us, his dead eyes gesturing to my pocket where I had a couple drachmas. "Oh. Uh, sure," I said, and pulled them out. I handed it to him. His hands were so freakin' cold. And I've camped out with Nico and dead people before.

Apparently satisfied, he began rowing across the river again, and I quickly dipped the cup into the Acheron. The water fizzed like a soda and I dumped the contents into the sack.

"Okay," I said briskly, brushing my hands off like I had just done some sort of Herculean labor. "Let's get to Cocytus."

"Sure," Nico said and before you could say, 'Hades hates Hercules' we were at the banks of the Cocytus.

"Good," I said, pulling out the cup. "Let's get this over with, Nico—Nico?"

Nico was frozen, his mouth agape, his pale fingers pointing somewhere in front of him. Frowning, I followed his gaze, and...

"Bianca?!"

**Ooh, cliffy! I swear, I'm getting eviler and eviler! **


	13. Chapter 12: My Water Powers Fail in Hell

**Due to popular demand, I am continuing this story. Though updates will come SUPER slowly!!! **

CHAPTER XII: THE FEW RIVERS I _CAN'T_ CONTROL (WHICH SUCKS BIG-TIME)

"Hello, Nico. You've grown," Bianca sadly said, smiling at us. "You're already a young man."

"B-Bianca!" Nico stumbled forward, disbelieving. "Why are you at the Cocytus?"

"I wasn't buried," Bianca gently said. "No one's fault, Percy."

Creeeeeeepy. A mind reading ghost?

"I can't read minds, but I can read expressions." Bianca arched a black eyebrow. "So, Percy, what brings you here today?"

I opened my mouth to speak when I heard a slobbering sound behind me and turned around. Nico was...

"Are you _drooling_?" I said with disgust.

Nico didn't reply, focusing on Bianca. "My gods, Bianca...I missed you so much!"

Bianca rolled her eyes at me. "Annoying little brothers will stay annoying little brothers. What were you about to say?"

"I'm here to save Annabeth. I need to make this plant called dragonsweed." I made a face.

"Dragonsweed..." Bianca mused.

"Yes?" I arched my eyebrows, hoping she would have a déjà vu moment.

"Rare plant, the first one Persephone ever planted in the Underworld, used for saving near-death people?" Bianca suddenly asked.

I nodded, excited. "You know about it?"

"Never heard of it," Bianca looked gloomy again. _Gee, thanks a _bunch_. _

"But I _can_ help you," Bianca offered, and my head came up. "Here, hand me your cup." I handed it to her but it passed—oh, surprise!—right through her hand.

"Damnit," she swore, and then said, "Oops. I'm not supposed to curse in front of Nico."

"I'm...not a...little boy...anymore!" Nico angrily interjected.

Bianca threw him a glance. "Thank the gods you haven't gone through sex ed yet...oh, shoot. _Have_ you gone through sex ed?"

"Uh, no..."

"Percy can tell you. Percy, I'm entrusting you with giving my brother sex ed."

"Why _Percy_? He's the son of the sea god, not the son of the god of sex," Nico protested.

"He has experience with Annabeth, though," Bianca matter-of-factly said. "Right, Percy?"

"NO!" I shrieked. "WE'RE SEVENTEEN, FYI. And can we get _back_ to, uh, _saving Annabeth?!_"

"Oh, sorry," Bianca apologized. "Hey, I've been gone quite a while. I need to catch up on some stuff. Well, now then...the thing is, nobody but dead people can approach the Cocytus, and unless you two happened to die..."

"And you can't hold the cup," I said in frustration. "Wait, maybe I can—"

"No, Percy!" both Nico and Bianca yelled at the same time as I closed my eyes and willed the water up. A sharp pain in my gut forced me to double forward, falling on my face and knocking the cup in the water. A ghostly hand emerged, filled it, and handed it back to me. "Um, thanks," I said in astonishment, brushing myself off as it submerged beneath the waves again. I tossed the water into the magic sack again.

"Okay, now to the Lethe," Bianca said. "I'm afraid I cannot accompany you any further."

"Um, okay, then bye," I said, slinging the sack over my shoulder. "Hey, uh, Nico? Time to go?"

But Nico remained, gaping at his sister. "But I want to talk to you, Brianna...Percy, go without me..."

"_Nico_!" Both me and Brianna shouted. "Nico, you need to help Percy." Brianna said.

"But..."

"Nico di Angelo. You are going to go, right now, or I am going to—"

"Okay, okay!" Apparently, old habits never really were lost as Nico pouted, looking like a shaggy black puppy—"He practically is, Percy," Bianca commented, looking straight into my eyes and creeping me out, yet again—and Nico grouchily prepared us for shadow traveling.

* * *

We arrived at the Lethe. A sweet scent wafted off its calm surface. The water was invitingly turquoise and crystal clear. I felt a pang in my heart when I thought: _Annabeth would like this_.

"Okay, get it over with," Nico said irritably.

I eyed him warily (is it me, or was he still drooling...?) and approached the water, clutching the cup in my hand. When I got within three feet of the waters, I instantly felt light-headed and dizzy, like I had had too much laughing gas (which I've never had, so...). I almost tripped but steadied myself. The scent was so invited...like freshly baked chocolate chip cookies...and chocolate bars...and candles...and Annabeth's shampoo...

The thought of Annabeth's lemony shampoo snapped me out of it. Steadying myself, I knelt at the warm edge and cautiously dipped the chalice into the waters...

My mind turned to cotton candy fluff. Which, as Annabeth would have wryly pointed out, "That's a surprise, because there's no mind in the first place.", but this was...whoa.

I vaguely heard Nico yell something in the distance, but all I cared about was to immerse myself even deeper into this cotton-candy heaven. I bent my face towards the water...closer...closer...

With each inch closer, everything turned fuzzier and fuzzier, until I was only a few inches away from the warm water. I felt a slight pressure trying to pull me away, but I knocked the obstruction aside.

Suddenly, as my finger longingly reached towards the deceivingly calm waters, I realized the smell was almost _too_ sweet.

Like, nauseously sweet, like...I dunno. Think of the sweetest thing you know, multiply that by twenty, throw in eighty tons of marshmallows, blend in some melted chocolate chips, and sprinkle in some Hershey kisses for good measure. Oh, blech, right? Some of you might be going all googly-eyes, saying, "Ooh! Sugar heaven...yum." Believe me. It's more like sugar hell.

Then everything became clear again. The water was way too innocently still. I remembered my purpose. _Save Annabeth._ I quickly took the cup out (that was now full to the brim) and dumped it in my bag. Nico was rubbing his sore arm, glaring at me.

"Okay. Now to the Styx."

* * *

When we got there, Nico said, "Okay, this is going to be tough. Basically, you're going to have to go in the water again, or else the water is just going to melt the cup away, and it'll be useless. Since you've already experienced the burning sensation, it'll be okay for you and any object you touch."

With that in mind, I strode to the water with purpose and _tripped_. On my _face_. And landed, you guessed it...in the freaking _Styx_.

My face felt like it was on fire. I felt like a million volcanoes had suddenly erupted beneath me. I screamed, but nothing but bubbles came out. I thrashed around and I felt Nico heaving me up.

When I regained my composure, I cracked open my blistered eyes to see Nico staring at me, face white.

"Oh, crap."

**Hope you enjoyed it. ;)**


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